U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers working at the Columbus port of entry seized 295 pounds of marijuana Tuesday. The drugs were concealed in a vehicle being driven by a 66-year-old Deming man.

“CBP officers at the Columbus port encounter smugglers of every generation. We have caught teenagers, young adults, middle aged people and senior citizens attempting to smuggle drugs from Mexico,” said CBP Columbus Port Director Robert Reza.

The seizure was made shortly after 3:30 a.m. when a 2000 Chevrolet Silverado entered the port of entry. A CBP officer interviewed the driver of the pick-up and selected the vehicle for a secondary exam. CBP officers performing the inspection noticed signs of tampering. They then x-rayed the vehicle and noted anomalies in the appearance of the floor of the truck. CBP drug sniffing dog “Domi” searched the truck and alerted to the floor. CBP officers removed a total of 276 marijuana-filled bundles from the floor of the vehicle.

CBP officers took custody of the driver, Benjamin Espino, a legal permanent resident from Mexico who lives in Deming, New Mexico.